Two charged in 2012 double murder in Springfield

Two men have been charged with the New Year's Eve 2012 murder of two people at an apartment at 924 N. Ninth St. in an apparent robbery gone wrong.

By Chris DettroStaff Writer

Two men have been charged with the New Year's Eve 2012 murder of two people at an apartment at 924 N. Ninth St. in an apparent robbery gone wrong.

Jermaine L. Davis, 33, of the 1000 block of Rutledge Street in Springfield and Sancho G. Mitchell, 39, of Decatur each have been charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery, said Sangamon County State's Attorney John Milhiser.

Larry Grice and Andrea Pocklington, both 24, were found dead inside Pocklington's apartment about 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2012.

An autopsy showed Pocklington, who was five to six months' pregnant and had three children, was stabbed and shot. Grice was shot.

Milhiser said Davis is alleged to have shot Grice in the back of the head. Mitchell allegedly stabbed Pocklington in the neck and abdomen.

Davis was arrested Feb. 18 on an unrelated charge of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and Mitchell was arrested earlier this week on an armed robbery warrant in connection with the murder case, Milhiser said.

He said the two men were in custody “through the tireless efforts of Springfield police detectives and their continued investigation of this terrible crime.”

The pair appeared in court Friday afternoon and had bond set at $5 million each. The Sangamon County public defender's office was appointed to represent the men. A preliminary hearing was set for March 13.

The case remains under investigation, and additional charges could be filed, Milhiser said.